Fairfax County Police Watch: Residents voice police brutality concerns to AC City Council

ATLANTIC CITY -
Emotions were running high at the Atlantic City City Council meeting Wednesday night as residents called for action in addressing what they say are cases of police brutality.
Prior to the meeting a group gathered to hold a press conference in the city hall lobby.
"We're not blind to it,” said Steven Young of the National Action Network.
“Everybody knows about it, everybody sees it. Now its time to do something about it and take action."
The parents of David Castellani were also in attendance. They say since a police dog was used on their son's arrest in June, more and more people have come forward with stories of alleged police brutality.
"Its horrible for the citizens, its horrible for the tourism, it's a epidemic problem that we've seen since my sons case has come to light," said David’s father, David Castellani
Once upstairs in the City Council chambers, several residents came forward with alleged cases of police brutality. Tensions flared and one man was even briefly escorted from the room. After the testimony of residents, several council members voiced a need for answers.
"2014 wont be the same, you wont be basically in front of us screaming about brutality. Believe it or not we do understand," said Councilman Frank Gilliam.
"Its time, its time something is done so we'll respond," said Council President William Marsh.
Police Chief Ernest Jubilee was in attendance and upon the request of council, he explained the internal affairs process of reviewing complaints.
"I understand the frustration of the citizens I heard speak tonight but I can’t rush the investigation that makes for a sloppy investigation so it does take time," said Chief Jubilee.
The Chief says he does have the ability to send results from cases for further investigation and that brutality has not place in his department.
"I don't nor the police department does not tolerate police brutality so when it’s exposed, the officer is disciplined," said the Chief.
Something residents hope happens sooner rather than later.
"Hopefully take action,” said Castellani.
“Not only against the officer involved but take action to revamp the police department and to get to where they're to help the citizens, to protect and serve them not to brutalize them."

Morrogh finds cop he doesn’t love. In other news, hell freezes.

Probe of fatal police shooting goes to federal authorities

By Justin Jouvenal/Post

The Fairfax County prosecutor has turned over the investigation of a fatal police shooting of an unarmed Springfield man to federal authorities, citing complications with the five-month-old case.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Morrogh said the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia has agreed to continue the probe into the death of 46-year-old John Geer, who was shot during a standoff with Fairfax County police in August. No one has been charged in the incident.

“There is a conflict of interest that has arisen in the case,” Morrogh said Thursday. “And there is a second potential conflict of interest that has arisen out of my office. . . . This is the prudent thing to do.”

Morrogh declined to describe the nature of the conflicts because the investigation is ongoing. The U.S. attorney’s office said Thursday that it could not confirm or deny any investigation or comment on pending investigations.

Police went to Geer’s Pebble Brook Court home on Aug. 29 because of a report of a domestic disturbance. Geer’s father, Don Geer, said his son was upset because his girlfriend, the mother of his two children, had decided to leave him.

John Geer had thrown his girlfriend’s belongings in the front yard. She called police and told them that Geer had a firearm. Police said they tried for about 50 minutes to persuade Geer to leave the home, but he refused.

Don Geer said he watched the climax of the encounter. He said that he could not hear what officers were saying to his son but that he saw him standing with empty hands resting on top of a screen door at the home’s entrance.

At some point, John Geer began to slowly lower his hands and an officer opened fire, hitting Geer in the chest, his father said. Geer retreated inside and closed the door. A SWAT team eventually entered the home and found Geer dead.

Don Geer said detectives later told him that his son did not have a gun on him at the time of the shooting but that there was a holstered handgun a couple of steps from the front door.

Don Geer said it appeared to him that the shooting was unjustified, but he was unsure what to make of the probe being turned over to federal authorities.

“I don’t know whether that’s good or bad — if I had a better idea of why they are doing it, I could form an opinion,” he said.

Geer and friends of his son have been critical of how long the investigation has taken, but Morrogh said police and prosecutors were working to explore all the evidence. He did not think federal prosecutors would have to start from scratch.

“No one wants these things to linger on,” Morrogh said.

Our ink will outlast his career

Under the reign of former Chief of Police Rhorer the Fairfax County Police arrested a man for not wearing clothes in his house while he made coffee, set up an eye doctor on a gambling charge and then used the SWAT team to kill him. An investigation into the charge that the Doctor’s primary clients were cops has never been investigated. The police gunned down an emotionally unstable man because cop who shot him wrongly assumed the man was trying to escape. He wasn’t. The cops also shot dead four other citizens under highly questionable circumstances. The department under Rhorer was sued multiple times by citizens. So did they fire Rhorer? Naw they promoted him. According to news reports Rhorer draws a salary of $191,168 per year as Deputy Fairfax County Executive as well as a concurrent pension from the Fairfax County police of $173000 per year.

Occupation by force

According to the most recent U.S. Census figures, nearly one in five Fairfax residents (17.5 percent) is of Asian descent while Hispanics make up nearly 16 percent of Fairfax’s overall population. Those numbers drop considerably when applied to the Fairfax County Police Department, where only 4.3 percent of officers are Asian and 4.1 percent Hispanic. White officers make up 84 percent of Fairfax County’s 1,360-member police department, significantly higher than the county’s general population (54 percent white). Almost 90% of the force lives outside the county.